Automatic roll wrapper feed



Aug. 30, 1966 H. A. HOOPER ETAL 2 AUTOMATIC ROLL WRAPPER FEED Filed Jan. 8, 1965 2 Sheets Sheet 1 INVENTOR HARRY A HOOPER EMIL S. ASFOUR BY 2 mm ATTORN Y 0, 1966 H. A. HOOPER ETAL 3,269,242

AUTOMATIC ROLL WRAPPER FEED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1965 INVENTORS HARRY A. HOOPER EMIL s. AS BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,269,242 AUTGMATIC ROLL WRAPPER FEED Harry Allison Hooper, Larchinont, N.Y., and Emil S. Asfonr, Zurich, Switzerland, assiguors to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 424,282 Claims priority, application Germany, Jan. 28, 1964,

9 Claims. 61. 83152) ing cooperation with a drive gear for one of the feed rolls and a valve is provided for switching the suction from the web feeding suction head to the suction plate of the wrapper cutter when the wrapper web has been fed from the suction head to the suction plate.

The apparatus of the present invention coacts with cigar wrapper or cigar binder web feeding and cutting machines which latter forms parts of automatic cigar manufacturing machines. The cigar wrapper or cigar binder web feeding and cutting machines are designed to draw a cohesive sheet or web of tobacco particles, known in the art as reconstituted tobacco, from a source thereof, such as a reel, and feed the web to cutting means which severs a contoured area of the web, suitable for use as a binder for a cigar bunch or a wrapper for a cigar. Web feeding and cutting machines are well known in the art. They are described, for instance in the following patents which may be referred to for an understanding of the operation of mechanisms which are not described herein, in detail: 2,837, 158, H. H. Wheeler, June 6, 1958; 2,846,010, H. H. Wheeler, August 8, 1958; 2,933,003, H. H. Wheeler, April 19, 1960; 2,960,898, H. H. Wheeler, November 20, 1960; 3,154,987, S. Clausen, November 3, 1964.

It is considered that reference to the foregoing patents will avoid needless description of the details of web feed machine-s, well known in the art, which form the environment of the apparatus of the present invention.

In such automatic wrapper feeds for cigar machines, caring for the cutting waste or scrap originating from the wrapper web has been found diflicult. An effective removal of the cutting waste without affecting the operation of the machine is not yet possible. If the cutting waste or scrap originating from the wrapper web are blown off the machine, they contaminate the machine and the surrounding area. If a stationary suction device is provided, it must be disposed outside the wrapper cutting device, in order not to interfere with the reciprocating movement of the suction head which advances the wrapper web. A suction device, when disposed outside the wrapper web cutting device, however, has been found not fully effective.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic wrapper feed for cigar machines with a suction device which operates immediately adjacent the wrapper cutting device, so that the entire cutting waste and all scrap are effectively removed without affecting the wrapper feed.

In an automatic wrapper feed of the type referred to in the foregoing, effective removal of scrap is attained, according to the present invention, by a scavenging suc- 3,269,242 Patented August 30, 1366 tion head which is displaceable together with the wrapper web feeding suction head and which is connected to the switching valve. For the removal of cutting waste and scrap, the suction head of such an assembly is carried immediately adjacent the wrapper cutting device, so that the cutting device is completely free of scrap before the wrapper feeding suction head feeds a new tobacco wrapper over the cutting mechanism.

Suitably a stationary support plate for holding the forward end of the wrapper web in the receiving position of the wrapper web feeding suction head is provided on the discharge side of the feed rolls. The switching valve is timed according to the invention in such a manner that it switches the suction of the forward stroke to the suction heads when the scavenging suction head has passed beyond the support plate and when the wrapper web feeding suction head is positioned above the forward end of the support plate. Thereby it is assured that the wrapper web feeding suction head only picks up the forward end of the wrapper web on the forward stroke. If suction were already connected to the suction heads at the beginning of the forward stroke, the forward end of the wrapper web would be sucked into the scavenging suction head.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rack and the member for moving the suction heads are relatively adjustable for the purpose of varying the feed length of the wrapper web pulled off the bobbin.

Suitably, displaceable arms carrying the suction heads are laterally extensible with respect to a movable frame carrying the components of the automatic wrapper feed, so that the wrapper web feeding suction head is adjustable in its discharge position above the wrapper cutting device of a cigar machine, beside which the automatic wrapper feed is disposed. This is advantageous if the automatic wrapper feed is an independent unit which is driven, according to .a further embodiment of the invention, by an intermediate shaft of the cigar machine, it also being advantageous that the height of said frame is adjustable.

The invention will now be described with reference to drawings.

FIGURE 1 is .a diagrammatic side view of an automatic wrapper feed for cigar machines according to the invention.

FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the operation of the automatic wrapper feed showing various positions of operation.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a frame 1 may be adjusted to different heights by telescopic extraction of its legs such as legs 2 and 3. The legs preferably are equipped with wheels. Clamping rings 4,5 are provided for locking the legs at a selected height. Mounted on bars interconnect-ing the legs, SllCill as legs 2 and 3, is a shaft 6 carrying a rotatable bobbin 7 of tobacco wrapper material for wrapping cigars. The free end of the wrapper web is guided to the upper portion of the frame where it passes between two feed rollers 10 and 11 which are journalled in peripheral contact, each to the other on blocks 8 and 9 secured on the frame. The feed rollers 10 and 11 and bobbin 7 are illustrated only in FIG. 1, or in front view only. These elements extend over the entire width of the frame whicih is determined by the width of the wrapper web to be processed.

One of the rolls is rig-idly connected to a coaxial gear 12 which is periodically driven in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter. The two feed rollers engage the wrapper web guided therebetween, when the roller 10 is driven by means of the gear 12, and advance the web toward the left, as shown in FIG. 1, toward a horizontally disposed support plate 14 on the discharge side of the pair of feed rollers. The support plate 14 is laterally mounted so that it extends from front to back of the frame. The forward edge of the wrapper web 15 is shown resting on the support plate 14.

On the upper portion of frame 1, a pair of bars, of which a single bar, bar 16, is shown, are mounted in parallel for horizontal axial displacement. The bars, such as 16, are mounted to the frame 1 by hearing blocks, such as block 17, which is secured to the frame. Additional bearing blocks for supporting bars 16 in their axial displacement are not discussed in detail for the sake of brevity.

Between the bars, such as bar 16, two displaceable suction heads 18 and 19. are mounted near the left-hand ends of the bars, as shown in FIG. 1. The suction head 18 operates in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter, to engage the left hand portion of the wrapper web 15 resting on the support plate 14 and transport it toward the cutting means. The other suction head 19 is the scavenging suction head which removes the waste and scrap cut from the web. The two suction heads are connected, in a manner not shown in detail, to a source of suction. The scavenging suction head 19, in addition, is connected to a waste collecting container, not illustrated, but well known in the art.

The bar 16 shown in FIG. 1 carries .a rack 20 which is aligned with the teeth of the gear 12 connected to the feed roller 10. When the bars, such as bar 16, are displaced toward the left, the rack 20 engages the gear 12 and drives the feed rollers. This will be described in detail hereinafter. The rack 20 is mounted to the bar 16 in any convenient longitudinally adjustable manner so that the point of engagement of rack 20 with gear 12 during the stroke of bar 16 toward the left, as shown in FIG. 1, is adjustable.

Near their left-hand ends, the two bars, such as bar 16, are pivotally connected to a link 21, which is connected through a pivotal actuating lever 32 which is pivotally secured on a shaft 22. Shaft 22 is mounted to a bracket structure 30 secured to the frame 1. The shaft 22 has secured thereto a cam lever 23 mounted to the free end of which is a cam follower 24 which engages in a cam track 25 of a cam 31. am 31 is driven by a cam shaft 26 which extends from a gear reduction box 34. Box 34 is supported on bracket structure 30. The cam shaft 26 is driven in timed relation to the cigar machine with which the automatic wrapper feed of the present invention is to coact.

The portion of the web feeding and cutting machine to the left of supporting plate 14 is represented in FIG. 1 only by the rectangle designated 27. This may vary for the different machines, but is fully described in the above identified patents. This includes a suction plate abutting the cutting die turret, the valve mechanisms, the web cutting rollers, the cam and linkage mechanism for controlling the die turret, as well as for controlling the valve mechanism and for controlling the web cutting rollers. The cutting rollers cooperate in known manner with the wrapper or binder cutting device, severing a wrapper from the front end of the web after the web is advanced beyond the suction plate and over the die.

A switching valve switches the suction to the suction head 18 when suction head 18, which feeds the wrapper web v15 to the die, is disposed above the left-hand end of the support plate 14. The scavenging suction head 19 at this time will be disposed to the left of the end of the web so that it is without effect. The valve mechanism switches the suction from head 18 to the suction plate abutting the die turret and to the die turret, when the wrapper web [feeding suction head 18 is disposed above these elements of the wrapper cutting device.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 4, the operation of the automatic wrapper feed and the suction thereof will be described. In the position shown in FIG. 2, the suction is switched off and the gear 12 driving the feed rolls and .11 is not engaged by the rack 20. As the bars, such as 'bar 16, are moved into this position, the

4 feed rolls 10 and 11 do not move. The left-hand or free end 15 of the wrapper web which was fed forwardly between feed rolls 10 and 11 during the last preceding feeding cycle does not move on the support plate .14.

In the position shown in FIG. 3, the suction head 19 is disposed above the cutting mechanism of the wrapper cutting device, where a wrapper had been severed from the free end of the wrapper web 15 during the preceding cycle of operation, and the wrapper web feeding suction head .18 is disposed at the end of the support plate 14 above the free end of the wrapper web 15. In this position the valve mechanism switches the suction to the suction heads. Thereupon the scavenging suction head removes the cut tobacco trimmings resulting from the preceding cutting step from the area about the wrapper cutting device. At the same time the suction head 18 picks up the free end 15 of the wrapper web resting on the support plate 14. At this moment the rack 20 enters into engagement with the gear 12.

The bars 16 carrying rack 20 and suction heads 18 and 1 9 are then moved into the position shown in FIG. 4. The leading end of wrapper web 15 is advanced toward the left of support plate 14 by the cooperative action of the feed rolls 10 and 11 and suction head 18. It is to be noted that the suction head 18 alone does not sufiice to draw the wrapper web 011 the bobbin which is provided with suitable braking equipment as described in the patents identified in the foregoing. The feeding of the wrapper web starts only when the rack 20 drives the feed rolls 10 and 11. Thus, if the rack 20 is secured to the bars 16 at a more rearward position, the feed of the wrapper web starts somewhat later during the forward stroke, thus when the suction head 18 has already moved by a distance beyond the support plate 14. Thus, only a shorter wrapper length is fed. In order that rack 20 and gear 12 always will engage the other properly, a brake is provided for the feed rolls which prevents any rotation of gear 12 when disengaged from the rack 20'.

In the position shown in FIG. 4 the suction is cut off the suction heads 18 and 19 and switched to the cutting die and adjoining suction plate of the wrapper cutting device. The free end of the wrapper web 15, which up to this moment has been carried by suction head 18 will then be transferred to the suction plate and cutting die of the wrapper cutting device. Also, the suction on the scavenging suction head 19 is maintained up to this moment, so that the complete removal of all waste and of all scrap is assured.

After the free end of the wrapper web 15 has been transferred to the suction plate and die of the wrapper cutting device, and while the suction heads 18 and 19 are being returned to the position shown in FIG. 2, the wrapper is severed 'by means of the cutting roller. Thereafter, the entire cycle is repeated. The accurate timed relationship of the individual steps of movement of the components carried by the bars 16 is attained by a suitable design of the controlling cams. The cams are arranged so that a short delay, or dwell, is provided at the position where the scavenging suction head is disposed above the wrapper cutting device, at the position where the web transporting suction head picks up the free end of the wrapper web and the position where the suction head 18 transfers the free end of the wrapper web to the suction plate and die of the wrapper cutting device. In order that the feed rolls 10 and 11 are not driven during the rearward stroke by the rack 20 and that the wrapper web is not withdrawn, the gear 12 is provided with a single-way clutch as described in the above identified patents.

The cutting rollers and associated mechanism are described in detail in Patent 2,846,010, particularly parts 162, 164 and connected elements.

What is claimed is:

1. Automatic wrapper feed for cigar machines, wherein the continuous wrapper web is drawn off a bobbin by means of feed rolls and fed to a suction head which further advances the wrapper web, said suction head being movable between a receiving position adjacent the feed rolls and a discharge position, which is located adjacent a suction plate cooperating with the wrapper cutting device of the cigar machine, the member which carries the wrapper web feed suction head carrying a rack which cooperates in meshing engagement with a drive gear for one of said feed rolls, a valve being provided for switching the suction from the wrapper Web feeding suction head to the suction plate of the wrapper cutting device, when the wrapper web has been fed from the suction head to said suction plate, and a scavenging suction head displaceable simultaneously with the wrapper web feeding suction head.

2. An automatic wrapper feed for cigar machines as set forth in claim 1, including a connection between said valve and said scavenging suction head whereby suction is applied to both simultaneously.

3. An automatic wrapper feed for cigar machines as set forth in claim 2, in which the switching valve is timed so as to switch the suction during the forward stroke of the suction heads, when the scavenging suction head has passed beyond the support plate and when the wrapper web feeding suction head is disposed above the forward end of the support plate,

4. A tobacco web feed mechanism for a cigar manufacturing machine, said machine having a station for supplying tobacco web material, a station for shaping a contoured cigar hinder, or wrapper, from said web, a travelling suction head for picking up the leading end of said web and transporting it to said shaping station, a scavenging suction head for retrieving scrap trimmed from said web and means for displacing both said suction heads toward and from said shaping station simultaneously.

5. A web feed mechanism in accordance with claim 4, said mechanism having a valve for controlling the application of suction to both of said suction heads simultaneously.

6. A web feed mechanism in accordance with claim 4, said mechanism having means for preventing said scavenging suction head from engaging said leading end of said web.

7. A web feed mechanism in accordance with claim 4, said mecahnism having means for preventing said travelling suction head from engaging said scrap.

8. A web feed mechanism in accordance with claim 6 in which said means for preventing said scavenging head from engaging said leading end of said web is means for spacing said scavenging head from said leading end when said leading end is picked up.

9. A web feed mechanism in accordance with claim 7 in which said means for preventing said travelling head from engaging said scrap is means for spacing said traveling head from said scrap when said scrap is picked up.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,413,553 12/1946 Evers 83-152 X 2,960,898 11/1960 Wheeler 83--152 X 3,152,497 10/'1964 Godfrey 83512 X 3,171,311 2/1965 Carlson 83 152 X 3,176,558 4/1965 Gustavson 83512 X WILLIAM W. DYER, 111., Primary Examiner.

J. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AUTOMATIC WRAPPER FEED FOR CIGAR MACHINES, WHEREIN THE CONTINUOUS WRAPPER WEB IS DRAWN OFF A BOBBIN BY MEANS OF FEED ROLLS AND FED TO A SUCTION HEAD WHICH FURTHER ADVANCES THE WRAPPER WEB, SAID SUCTION HEAD BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A RECEIVING POSITION ADJACENT THE FEED ROLLS AND A DISCHARGE POSITION, WHICH IS LOCATED ADJACENT A SUCTION PLATE COOPERATING WITH THE WRAPPER CUTTING DEVICE OF THE CIGAR MACHINE, THE MEMBER WHICH CARRIES THE WRAPPER WEB FEED SUCTION HEAD CARRYING A RACK WHICH COOPERATES IN MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH A DRIVE GEAR FOR ONE OF SAID FEED ROLLS, A VALVE BEING PROVIDED FOR SWITCHING THE SUCTION FROM THE WRAPPER WEB FEEDING SUCTION HEAD TO THE SUCTION PLATE OF THE WRAPPER CUTTING DEVICE, WHEN THE WRAPPER WEB HAS BEEN FED FROM THE SUCTION HEAD TO SAID SUCTION PLATE, AND A SCAVENGING SUCTION HEAD DISPLACEABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE WRAPPER WEB FEEDING SUCTION HEAD. 